Northern Line Extension (1)

Susan Hall: What consideration have you given to extending the Northern Line south of Morden? For example, has a cost analysis been carried out?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) undertook an assessment of extending the Northern line beyond Morden to Sutton when considering alternatives to the Sutton Link project. The extension would involve changes to Morden depot to allow trains to run through it in passenger service and a connection to the Network Rail Sutton Loop line. Northern line trains would replace Thameslink services along this route, with modifications to all the stations and new terminus platforms at Sutton. There has been no detailed assessment of costs but an indicative estimate is £1.5bn - £1.8bn.
Regardless of the cost, TfL does not consider the extension to be feasible because of the overcrowding that would result on the Northern line north of Colliers Wood. The adverse impacts on existing Northern line users would most likely outweigh benefits to passengers south of Morden. Furthermore, an extension through the depot would constrain the ability to launch services northwards onto the line, potentially reducing peak train frequencies through central London, and would likely require the acquisition of residential properties adjacent to the depot. For these reasons, an extension of the Northern line south of Morden is not considered viable.

Northern Line Extension (2)

Susan Hall: Have you specifically considered the possibility of extending the Northern Line to Morden South station, especially considering that the positioning of the depot adjacent to the station means that Northern Line trains already terminate there?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) undertook an assessment of extending the Northern line through Morden depot to terminate near Morden South station when considering alternatives to the Sutton Link project.
Similar issues associated with the impact on the depot apply as for a longer extension (see response to 2020/3708). Different alignments through the depot were reviewed, both on the east and west sides (passenger services would need to be segregated from the operational depot). To enable the depot to continue to operate effectively, in either case land outside the railway boundary would be required, affecting either residential properties or Baitul Futuh Mosque. The ability to launch services northwards onto the Northern line would also be constrained, potentially reducing peak train frequencies through central London. For these reasons, an extension of the Northern line passenger service to Morden South is not considered viable.

Possible correlation between Covid cases and the London Underground

Caroline Pidgeon: Recent mapping of Covid cases in London shows an overlap with London Underground lines. While recognising there might be many reasons for explaining the overlap, is any investigation being undertaken into whether Tube journeys and changes at Tube stations might be a contributory factor to the number of Covid cases in specific boroughs?

The Mayor: Research is being undertaken by a number of different universities into possible transmission of coronavirus and presence of coronavirus on public transport. I am not aware of research looking into whether Tube journeys and changes at Tube stations are a contributory factor to the number of coronavirus cases in specific boroughs. As you acknowledge, the number of cases in a borough is influenced by a number of different factors, such as levels of deprivation and population demographics.
Transport for London has commissioned Imperial College London to carry out air and surface sampling on a ‘passenger journey’ using the Tube and bus. The first sampling took place on 23 September and no coronavirus was detected.

Protecting drivers from coronavirus on London buses

Caroline Russell: On 29 May 2020, Transport for London (TfL) said that studies on London buses found: “a film layer to screens and sealing off gaps around the screen as a whole, including around the Oyster reader – substantially reduces the risk to drivers of contracting coronavirus from customers.” Can you now confirm that every bus, currently operational in London, has sealed screens in place?

The Mayor: All buses operated on behalf of Transport for London, including those recently added to the fleet to help provide additional capacity for school journeys, have coronavirus Safe screens in place. The screens are also included in routine vehicle checks to ensure they remain fit for purpose.

Raising London’s recycling rates (1)

Leonie Cooper: Local authority collected waste management data for 2018/191 shows that London had the lowest household recycling rate in England last year. Five London boroughs are in the bottom ten for the country for recycling. What work have you undertaken since to raise London’s rate of recycling?

1Gov.uk ‘Local authority collected waste management- annual results’ [Date accessed 18.09.20]

The Mayor: Responsibility for waste management services in London lies with individual boroughs. However, I want London to be a zero-waste city by 2050 and I have set ambitious targets including a 65 per cent municipal waste recycling by 2030.
We have particular challenges in increasing recycling in London. On average, 50 per cent of the population live in flats (this is as high as 80per cent in some areas) and achieving high recycling rates from flats is more difficult than from kerbside properties. London also has a highly transient and diverse population with over 100 languages spoken. This can make communication on recycling services difficult.
My London Environment Strategy sets out minimum standards for recycling that boroughs need to meet, so that the 6 main dry recycling materials plus food waste can be recycled wherever you live in London. All boroughs have produced a Reduction and Recycling Plan to set out how they will not only meet but go beyond these minimum standards and contribute to my London-wide targets.
Through the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB) we continue to work with boroughs to help them reduce the amount of waste London produces and to recycle more of what remains. LWARB have created valuable guidance and toolkits for boroughs to improve services, such as the recent Flats Recycling Package and run campaigns and programmes to support behavioural change and waste reduction.

Raising London’s recycling rates (3)

Leonie Cooper: Which London boroughs are doing particularly well at increasing recycling rates? How can their success be emulated elsewhere?

The Mayor: Twenty-three boroughs across London saw an increase in recycling rates from 2017/8 to 2018/9.
Through their Reduction and Recycling Plans (RRPs), boroughs have identified actions they are taking to reduce waste, increase recycling rates, and minimise the environmental impact of waste. These plans show that there are over 50 different project areas that boroughs are working on, such as communications campaigns, introducing new materials to collections, improving infrastructure, expanding commercial waste services and updating local planning policies on waste capacity. The RRPs are held on the London Datastore which allows sharing of plans and good practice between boroughs.
Through the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB) the GLA supports boroughs in their plans and has produced toolkits and case studies to share good practice and provide easy to follow guidance for boroughs to improve services and increase recycling. They will continue to work with boroughs to maximise the opportunities for boroughs to work together and share learning to increase success.

Diesel air pollution (4)

Leonie Cooper: In light of this new data, can you provide an update on your Scrappage Schemes? How many polluting vehicles have been removed from the streets and what is the resulting fall in air pollution so far?

The Mayor: I haveallocated £48m for scrappage schemes which support low income and disabled Londoners, small businesses and charities to switch to cleaner vehicles and greener forms of transport. The schemes have been extremely popular.To dateover2,000vans havealreadybeen scrappedalong withnearly 2,300cars and motorcycles,helpingvulnerable Londoners andsmall and micro-businessesprepare both for the central London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) from April 2019, and for the ULEZ expansion to the North and South Circular roads in October 2021.In September 2020 I also launched a heavy vehicle scrappage scheme. The scheme helps charities and businesses which operate HGVs, heavy vans, buses and coaches to prepare for tougher LEZ standards which are set to beintroduced from 1 March 2021.
Transport for London (TfL) also managesa£42mtaxidelicensing fundwhichsupports taxi drivers who want to delicense their Euro 3, 4 or 5 vehicles.To date theschemehas supported thedelicensing ofover 3,500taxis.TfLexpects the taxi delicensing scheme to deliver up to a 10 per cent reduction in taxi NOx emissions.
The emissions impact of the scrappage schemeswill depend on what kind of vehicle is being scrapped and how successful applicants choose to spend their payments(only some of the schemesrequire a replacement vehicle to be purchased).Therefore, it is not possible to quantify the direct emissions impact of theseschemesat this stage.

Tree canopy target

Andrew Boff: In your London Environment Strategy, you set a target to increase the area of London under tree canopy by 10 per cent of the current level by 2050. What is your progress in relation to this target?

The Mayor: In Spring 2018 I published the London Tree Canopy Cover map which used high-resolution aerial imagery to provide the best assessment of London’s tree canopy cover to date. This confirmed that 21 per cent of the capital’s land area is covered by trees.
In my Environment Strategy I committed to undertake further assessments every 5 years to track changes in canopy cover. A further assessment using the same methodology will be undertaken in 2023. Annual assessments are not considered to be good use of resources as any annual change is likely to be within the margin of error that occurs using such techniques.
Since 2016, I have supported the planting of 286,000 trees. 5,000 more street trees will be planted this winter, and in July I announced plans to create two new woodlands covering 84 hectares in our Green Belt, which will plant 140,000 more trees.
I am also working with the Forestry Commission and the London Urban Forest Partnership on a London Urban Forest Plan, to establish additional priority actions for the capital’s trees.

Supporting schools in the 2020/21 academic year

Jennette Arnold: With online learning likely to be a continuing feature of this academic year, how do you plan to develop London Learning at Home to support schools and learners?

The Mayor: We continue to build on London Learning at Home through adding more resources across different subject areas, from early years to secondary levels. We now have almost 100 offers from over 60 organisations and, as part of Black History Month, we have asked partners for resources that support the teaching of Black history. These will be added as part of a new search functionality throughout October and beyond.
My London Curriculum team continues to work on mapping these online offers with our Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 teacher resources. The aim is to provide virtual alternatives to suggested school trips, recognising current constraints on teachers and the potential for lockdowns in future. This will ensure that my London Curriculum can continue to support teachers and students, no matter what the circumstances.
We’re also sharing information on how to use London Learning at Home at a series of webinars for teachers and students, including our Careers with Impact in Computing on 16 October and Careers in Fashion webinar with London College of Fashion on 4 November.

The Bakerloo Line Extension

Len Duvall: Recognising the financial difficulties facing TfL and in particular large-scale capital projects such the Bakerloo Line extension which are likely to be delayed, can you take steps to secure the route of the Bakerloo Line extension for future implementation?

The Mayor: Safeguarding the route of the proposed Bakerloo line extension is an immediate priority for Transport for London (TfL). TfL is working with its partners at the London boroughs of Lewisham and Southwark to safeguard this much needed scheme through their Local Plans. TfL is also having positive discussions with the Department for Transport around the granting of Statutory Safeguarding directions for the extension as far as Lewisham. This is vital in order to protect the route and would ensure the BLE is well placed for a possible funding bid when the immediate landscape for infrastructure investment is clearer.

Face Masks and Bus Workers

Keith Prince: In your response to Question 2020/2526 you state "Because of these safeguards and the self-isolated nature of the driving compartment, bus drivers are not required to wear face coverings when inside the driver's cab.” Please provide me with a copy of any proper analysis which justifies this policy.

The Mayor: The work of University College London into self-isolating drivers in the cab environment is due to be published by Transport for London in the coming weeks. I have asked TfL officers to send you a copy of this report as soon as it is available.

Bus Driver Covid-19 Risk

Keith Prince: Has TfL considered the possibility that bus drivers stand a higher risk of catching Covid-19 from other bus drivers and workers (through lack of social distancing and mask-wearing at depots) and on buses (through shared cabs) than from passengers? Does TfL intend to investigate this possibility?

The Mayor: One reason Transport for London commissioned research into its responses to the coronavirus pandemic was to ensure it was doing everything possible to safeguard drivers. This is why many vehicles have been modified to make the cab area much more self-isolated and the best anti-viral cleaning agents have been used to enhance hygiene each day.
As the cab area is separated from the public, drivers have the option of wearing a face covering. They are also supplied with cleaning materials should they wish to wipe down surfaces, in addition to the already rigorous cleaning measures in place.
Social distancing and face coverings are being applied in workplaces like depots, as operators recognise their staff can be exposed to colleagues in the course of their duties. Operational managers, however, are enforcing social distancing rules and many health and safety union representatives have also been stood down to reinforce this. For these reasons, there will not be separate research carried out into this subject.

GLA loan to London Power

Caroline Russell: MD2645 refers to a loan of £1.1 million from the GLA to London Power Co. Limited. Why was this sum required as a loan and not included in the original budget?

The Mayor: MD 2187, MD 2319 and MD 2405 approved expenditure of up to £2.3m for the procurement, set-up and early marketing of London Power. Following a review of transactions and advice from the Chief Accountant and GLA’s external auditor, it was determined that some of these set-up and marketing costs, which had been budgeted for and expensed within the GLA, should instead be borne by London Power Co. Limited as they are directly attributable to the operation of the company.
As such, £1.1m of set-up and marketing costs, which were originally budgeted for within the GLA, will be transferred to London Power Co. To finance this I have approved a loan of £1.1m from the GLA to London Power Co.
There is no additional budget requirement, this is simply a transfer of the original budget between the GLA and its subsidiary, London Power Co.

Universities sector [2]

Andrew Dismore: Middlesex University in my constituency is doing everything that they can to ensure a safe return to campus for students. However, particularly with regard to students’ journeys to campus, there is much that remains unknown and the problem for their students will be complex, as 76% commute more than 40 minutes per day and half commute for more than an hour. Will you encourage TfL to work with universities to understand student needs, and their travel flows/peak times?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has been working with universities to help plan their safe and sustainable reopening for students and staff in advance of this new academic year. TfL has written directly to universities across London to share the latest travel advice, journey planning tools and active travel toolkits. A dedicated email inbox for schools, higher education colleges and universities has also been set up to enable direct contact with TfL.
In addition, TfL has worked closely with London Higher, an umbrella body that represents 40 universities and higher education colleges in London, and includes Middlesex University, to ensure that travel advice is shared widely. This activity was informed by analysis on student travel patterns that TfL conducted before the start of the new term, including data from previous years and forecasts for this year. I have asked TfL to directly contact Middlesex University to discuss and address its concerns.

School Buses

Alison Moore: Have the additional buses designated by TfL as ‘School Services’ been successful at i) coping with the increase in demand for buses, as students, teachers and other school staff return to work and ii) making space for other customers on regular bus services?

The Mayor: Yes, despite the challenging nature of introducing extra capacity so quickly after the Government confirmed schools would be returning in September, this has been a success. This is because designated school services can carry up to 60 pupils on a double-deck bus, in line with Government guidance. This frees up space for adults on regular services, where double deck buses continue to have capacity for 30-35 people to support social distancing. As a result, overall capacity is 50 per cent higher on routes with alternate school services at peak school times, benefitting both schoolchildren and adults.
Transport for London (TfL) has also boosted school services with 230 extra buses. Without designated school services, it would not have been possible to adequately support the return of schools at a time when social distancing has reduced capacity by around 70 per cent.
A comprehensive communications campaign has helped ensure schools and customers are aware of the changes, and TfL has closely monitored demand, capacity and customer and stakeholder feedback. It has subsequently introduced further designated school services, especially in the afternoons when background demand has remained relatively strong.

Solar Together London (2)

Leonie Cooper: How many auctions have been held?

The Mayor: My Solar Together London programme is now in its third phase and three auctions have been held.
Across the three auctions 2.4 megawatts of installed solar photovoltaic energy capacity has been delivered to date, drawing in over £4.1 million of private residents’ investment into solar in London. I anticipate over 15,000 tonnes of carbon will be saved over the guaranteed lifetime of the systems installed to date.

Impacts on London traffic from changes to lorry access in Kent

Caroline Russell: What representations did you or Transport for London (TfL) make in the consultation on proposed legislative amendments on enforcing Operation Brock in August 2020, and what is your estimate of the likely impact on traffic in London of the Kent Access Permit?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) did not engage with the recent consultation regarding Enforcing Operation Brock Plans in 2021. This is because, since early 2019, TfL has been fully engaged with the Department for Transport, Highways England, Kent County Council, Kent Police and other County Councils in the development of coordinated operational plans for the management of any traffic impacts that may result from a no deal Brexit, and the implementation of Operation Brock.
The Kent Access Permit will be implemented within Kent, outside of the Greater London Area boundary, and freight vehicles will be stopped for document checks at designated locations that are away from the key access routes from and to London. HGVs will be temporarily held at Manston (Kent) and at designated locations outside of London and away from the Greater London boundary. The vehicle stops are therefore unlikely to directly impact traffic in London.
However, operations of this magnitude can sometimes have an impact on London’s roads. TfL therefore has a suite of contingency plans ready to deal effectively with this.

Bakerloo Line extension

Caroline Pidgeon: TfL’s website provided an update on 7 April 2020 relating to the latest consultation on the extension of the Bakerloo Line stating “We recently consulted on our proposals to extend the Bakerloo line beyond Elephant & Castle to Lewisham, serving Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate. We also sought to understand the level of support for a further extension beyond Lewisham to Hayes and Beckenham Junction. Thank you to all those who took part. We are considering all the consultation responses we received. We will publish our analysis of the consultation and our response to issues raised later this year.”
When will this analysis be published?

The Mayor: Transport for London will publish the Consultation Report and Response to Issues Raised Report from its autumn 2019 Public Consultation on the proposed Bakerloo line extension by the end of the year.

Special Schools and Covid-19

Jennette Arnold: Please provide details of the support offered to help London’s specialist schools for those pupils with profound SEND needs stay open.

The Mayor: Public Health England’s London Coronavirus Response Cell (LCRC) responds to individual enquiries from special schools and local authorities. Its advice follows the PHE guidance and is tailored to the situation in each school. Special schools with confirmed COVID-19 cases should contact the LCRC directly who can support them with their risk assessment as this is often more complex than for mainstream schools.
Local Authorities are also supporting special schools to undertake risk assessments, have helped with personal protective equipment (PPE), and are providing guidance where there are issues that are making it difficult for children to return to school.

Long term impact of COVID-19 on the Education and well-being of young Londoners?

Jennette Arnold: Emergency funding packages from the Government and the Mayor to deal with some of the immediate impacts of COVID-19 school closures are welcome. But what is your assessment of the long-term impact of COVID-19 school closures (over the next 4-5 academic years) on young people’s education and wellbeing, and what long-term support do these young people require from the Government and from the Mayor?

The Mayor: Children and young people continue to face great uncertainty and instability – COVID-19 has impacted their opportunities, mental health and well-being like nothing we’ve seen in a generation.
It is vital that we understand and mitigate the dangers of widening education attainment gaps, especially for those groups already disadvantaged. The Education Endowment Foundation has reported that lockdown has undone a decade’s worth of progress to narrow the attainment gap and have warned that any single catch-up strategy will be insufficient to compensate for lost learning.
The London Recovery Board, which I co-chair, is co-ordinating the planning for London’s long-term recovery. Helping young people to flourish with access to support and opportunities is a key outcome. The Board’s missions include that ‘by 2025 London will have a quarter of a million wellbeing ambassadors’ and that ‘all young people in need are entitled to a personal mentor’.
We need the Government to provide more resources from early years to college. They must expand the universal catch-up premium and the National Tutoring Programme beyond this academic year – this is just too soon to address the lasting impact of school closures. And, we urgently need the Government to increase investment in NHS child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).

Expansion of the Breathe London network

Caroline Russell: On 22 September 2020 you announced an expansion of the Breathe London network with 30 new sensors to monitor air pollution at 18 schools where school streets have now been introduced. Given the current interest in the impact of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and pop-up bike lanes on air pollution, will you also install Breathe London monitors to show any changes in local pollution from these schemes?

The Mayor: Last month I announced a new study which will capture the air quality benefits of School Streets being introduced as part of my Streetspace for London programme.
The 18 participating schools were selected by the expert team at Air Quality Consultants, who are delivering the project. Half of these schools have introduced Schools Streets and half have not and will act as the “control” data. This was necessary as the speed at which the schemes have been rolled out meant that it was not possible to collect baseline data.
My officers raised the possibility of monitoring at other Streetspace interventions but were advised the lack of baseline data or viable “control” data would make evaluation at these other schemes extremely challenging. Schools Streets are only installed a few hours of the day, which will allow the period with and without the scheme in place to compared. This would not be possible for a Low Traffic Neighbourhood or pop-up bike lane.

Racism in London’s schools

Jennette Arnold: Recent research commissioned by the Diana Award reported that four in ten of London’s pupils1 have heard racist comments. How are your policies for schools addressing this and supporting schools to tackle racism?

1The Guardian, One-third of children in UK 'have heard racist comments at school' ‘ [Date accessed 24.09.2020]

The Mayor: I have spoken out against racism in all its forms and made clear that racism and inequality must be rooted out from our public institutions.
I recently announced a new partnership between City Hall and The Black Curriculum to help refresh the London Curriculum’s history resources to ensure their content reflects and celebrates London’s rich diversity. I want to ensure that we support teachers with the knowledge and tools to reflect the diverse histories and identity of all their students and they feel confident in explaining important topics like race and migration.
Our Stepping Stones programme provides resources for schools to train student mentors in how to support peers experiencing bullying and raise safeguarding concerns, and the Healthy Schools London website has resources on tackling racist bullying to support an inclusive PSHE curriculum.
Creating role models in the classroom and diversifying school leadership is also an important part of making London schools more inclusive. My new Stepping into Leadership programme equips minority ethnic teachers with the skills, confidence and professional networks to become senior leaders.

Information for planning accessible journeys on London transport

Caroline Russell: On 9 September 2020, the @TfLAccess twitter account informed followers that it was closing and people should follow the main Transport for London (TfL) twitter account instead or use the TfL website and apps. Many disabled people depend on this account to supply information on lift status and other issues affecting accessible journeys. Could you outline your plan for providing live information for accessible journeys in future?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is committed to providing timely and useful real time travel information for disabled customers. The @TfLAccess feed is not live travel information and will not always have the most up to date information. Instead, customers with a disability are encouraged to use the TfL Journey Planner and station updates on tfl.gov.uk.
Over the next couple of months TfL will be updating many of its real time channels including providing more accessibility information on its new app, TfL Go, new data updates to the external data feed for developers and updates to its TravelBot.
TfL has paused the closing of the @TfLAccess feed until this new data is available and TfL Go is available on Android. TfL will then help customers understand how to use these new tools with ‘how to’ guides and videos. Customers can still use the main TfL Twitter feed to ask questions and for a wide range of customer service.

Mask Wearing and Social Distancing at Bus Depots

Keith Prince: I have become aware of a recent announcement made by Arriva and Metroline about the requirement for social distancing and mask wearing at depots. Since social distancing has been national policy since March and mask wearing required on public transport since 15 June, how do you explain these TfL Bus Operators’ apparently dilatory application of national requirements? How closely and by what means is TfL monitoring its Bus Contractors' enforcement of mask wearing and social distancing at Bus Depots?

The Mayor: Operators have had a range of measures in place to enable social distancing and wearing of face coverings throughout the coronavirus pandemic. These measures have been constantly adapted in order to align them to the latest Government announcements and health advice. Operational managers were enforcing good practice at depots and many health and safety union representatives were asked to focus solely on social distancing and other coronavirus issues, to help reinforce compliance. The subsequent announcements are acting as reminders to follow this practice.
On the buses, drivers are largely self-isolated in the cab following work to improve seals around the protective screens. This means wearing face coverings is a matter of choice as they are in a separate cordoned off area. There is also enhanced cleaning of the most touched surfaces within vehicles and the cab area with anti-viral cleaning agents.
In line with government advice, Transport for London scaled back on physical site visits at the height of lockdown, with assurance sought remotely where possible of key messages and controls being implemented. Where physical visits to operators’ premises are carried out, these also deliver an extra layer of assurance regarding social distancing controls and compliance with mask wearing and visiting arrangements.

Bus Travel Safety

Navin Shah: A constituent has complained of recent incidents involving bus route H9 (operated by London United) carrying passengers well over double the capacity with a number of children observed standing. Incidents have been reported to me expressing concerns about lack of social distancing and the bus drivers ignoring limits on capacity. Can you please explain how the passenger numbers are monitored on buses, what instructions the drivers have and how the safety rules are enforced on all bus routes?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is monitoring routes across the network to see if some journeys for schoolchildren as well as adults need more capacity at particularly busy times. While checks on H9 passenger numbers from daily driver observations have not indicated any significant issues, the route will continue to be tracked like other services in case anything changes.
Bus drivers can use a pre-recorded announcement to inform boarding customers that the bus has reached its safe capacity and another to remind customers about social distancing. There is also a ‘Bus Full’ sign that can be placed in the bus windscreen to inform waiting customers at subsequent stops.
TfL has provided designated school services on certain routes, boosting capacity at school times and freeing up space on regular services for other customers.

Solar Together London (1)

Leonie Cooper: How many people have registered with Solar Together to date? Please provide a breakdown month by month.

The Mayor: Solar Together London is my collective purchasing programme for solar photovoltaic panels. The scheme is now in its third phase and 15,771 people have registered to date.
The breakdown for each of the phases of my programme is:
Solar Together London 1 = 3,806 registered between 5 March and 17 April. 2,080 were in March 2018 and 1,726 were in April 2018.
Solar Together London 2 = 5,223 registered between 2 July and 22 August. 1,991 were in July 2018 and 3,232 were in August 2018.
Solar Together London 3 = 6,742 people registered between 9 September and 22 October. 302 were in September 2019 and 6,440 in October 2019.

Solar Together London (3)

Leonie Cooper: How many personalised offers have been sent out to people registered with Solar Together?

The Mayor: Across the three phases of my Solar Together London programme a total of 15,771 people have registered their interest in the programme.
Every registrant receives a personalised offer, which sets out the detailed recommendations for their home. This offer provides information on the cost, the estimated energy generation of their proposed solar array, and any projected savings from their energy bills or income through solar generation tariffs.
The breakdown of offers sent out across the three phases of my programme is:
Solar Together London 1 = 3,806
Solar Together London 2 = 5,223
Solar Together London 3 = 6,742

Solar Together London (4)

Leonie Cooper: What is the average cost of the installation of solar panels through Solar Together?

The Mayor: The average price achieved (for a typical eight panel system) across all phases to date has been around £3,300per household.

Solar Together London (5)

Leonie Cooper: How many people have had solar panels installed through Solar Together?

The Mayor: To date 968 households in London have installed solar photovoltaic panels through my Solar Together London programme (and installations are still taking place under the third phase of the programme).
This activity has resulted in the installation of almost 8,000 panels with a capacity to generate 2.4 megawatts of clean energy.
Building upon the success of the first two phases of my programme, Solar Together London phase three was the first phase to include battery storage as an add-on to a solar panel installation.
The breakdown of installations in each of the phases of my programme is as follows:
STL 1 = 291
STL 2 = 333
STL 3 = 344 to date with 27 per cent (93 households) including battery storage.

Solar Together London (6)

Leonie Cooper: How long on average does it take for people to move from registering for Solar Together to having panels installed?

The Mayor: Once the five-week registration window has closed, people are provided with their personalised offer within two weeks. They then have six weeks in which to decide whether to proceed with the installation, taking an average of three months from decision to install. The time taken for people to move from registering for Solar Together London to having panels installed has been affected by the pause in activities from Covid-19, but in the first two phases the average time from registration to completion was around four months.

Solar Together London (7)

Leonie Cooper: How has Covid-19 impacted the Solar Together offer for Londoners?

The Mayor: Ahead of any government guidance, my officers worked with suppliers to pause onsite activity in March this year to help protect public health.
Activity resumed at the start of June with the scheme administrator informing participants about the safe working protocols put in place.
Personalised offers to Londoners setting out the cost and benefits of solar PV remained unchanged despite Covid-19, however the period of time to accept offers and have solar systems installed was extended (with registrants now having until the end of November to complete their works).
This third phase of the scheme is performing better than previous phases on several metrics (including the rate of the post-offer acceptance drop-out and post-installation customer satisfaction) but progress is still slower than was forecast before the pandemic and the final number of installations is consequently likely to also be lower than originally estimated.

Robin Hood Energy and London Power (1)

Leonie Cooper: Following the closure of Robin Hood Energy, what mitigations have been put in place to make London Power resilient and provide value for money to Londoners?

The Mayor: Please see response to Mayor's Question 2020/3295.

Robin Hood Energy and London Power (2)

Leonie Cooper: With the benefit of hindsight, how do you now see the decision to launch London Power as a white label company with the option to become a fully licensed supplier?

The Mayor: I reviewed various options before I decided to partner with an existing company rather than set up a new energy company from scratch. I believe that recent events such as the experience of Bristol and Nottingham Councils have validated my decision, though I would note that those Councils made their decisions at a time when there was far less competition in the energy supply market, and that partnering might not then have been feasible.
Following a rigorous procurement process, I chose Octopus Energy as the partner to deliver London Power. Octopus Energy are a financially robust, innovative and growing organisation who are investing heavily in green jobs and justifying my choice of partner.

Tube Noise [3]

Andrew Dismore: When was rail grinding last carried out on tube lines at or near Kentish Town; and when will it be next done?

The Mayor: Rail grinding was most recently carried out in this area in August 2020. The rail grinding machine is next due on the Northern line in early 2021. I have asked that Transport for London officers provide you with an update on the programme as soon as it is finalised.

Tube Noise [2]

Andrew Dismore: At Warren Street, TfL has undertaken a number of interventions: what were the pre remediation residential noise levels; what were they reduced to; and have they increased again?

The Mayor: Following a number of mitigation measures, noise levels from the southbound track in this area were reduced from around 45-48dB to 39dB when last measured in February 2020. Noise levels from the northbound track remained consistent in the low 40dBs.
The track in this area was recently assessed and rail roughness, which can lead to an increase in noise levels, was at relatively low levels. Transport for London will continue to keep this area under review for future interventions.

Tube Noise [1]

Andrew Dismore: When were noise levels last recordedat Mornington Crescent residential properties; what were those levels; and what solution do you propose to tube noise nuisance there?

The Mayor: In July 2020 Transport for London (TfL) resumed its residential noise monitoring programme, with additional protocols in place to comply with social distancing guidelines. Since then TfL has carried out measurements at three properties in this area, most recently on 28 August 2020. The highest average recorded noise level was 43dB.
Due to the limited ventilation in this area, it is difficult to schedule rail grinding on this section of track. TfL is currently investigating other options in terms of noise and vibration mitigation and I have asked that TfL officers provide you with an update regarding this work as soon as further information is available.

Mask wearing on buses

Alison Moore: What is the current level of compliance with mask wearing across bus routes? How is mandatory mask wearing on buses being monitored and enforced?

The Mayor: Compliance with the requirement to wear face coverings on public transport is measured through periodic observations by frontline staff, CCTV monitoring and customer research.
Compliance on the transport network continues to be high, particularly in the peak, at between 90% – 95%. It is estimated that approximately five per cent of the population is exempt or has legitimate reason not to wear a face covering, and Transport for London (TfL) does not expect 100 per cent face covering compliance on its services. TfL’s Mystery shopping on the bus and rail network during September found that 88% of assessors observed ‘most’ or ‘all’ customers wearing a face covering throughout the day.
TfL has also introduced a process where frontline staff, like bus drivers, can report issues with non-compliance. This intelligence is then used to identify locations where additional interventions may be required, such as targeted communications or enforcement activity. Between 4 July and 12 October, TfL enforcement officers stopped 108,307 people from getting on the public transport network until they put on a face covering. TfL officers prevented 7,869 people from boarding and ejected 1,827 people from the service. TfL’s Investigations Appeals and Prosecutions team has issued 553 Fixed Penalty Notices.
Additionally, since the beginning of September, TfL’s policing partners in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) have removed or prevented access to over 2,600 people from TfL services, and issued 44 FPNs. Both the MPS and TfL will only issue FPNs as a last resort, prioritising achieving compliance.
For passengers who are exempt from wearing a face covering, TfL has provided exemption cards, and has recently introduced exemption badges to help customers let staff, police and other customers know that they are exempt. These are both available on the TfL website.

Vauxhall Bridge

David Kurten: Does Vauxhall Bridge remain on schedule to be re-opened in November 2020?1
1https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/vauxhall-bridge-closure

The Mayor: The safety-critical repair work to Vauxhall Bridge remains on course for completion by the end of November 2020. On 1 October, Transport for London switched, as scheduled, to the second traffic management phase of the project.